INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS
Introduction to Comparative Politics, one of the four sub-fields in Political Science, which involves the comparative analysis of political institutions, processes, and outcomes at the national level. Examines how to usefully compare politics in a variety of countries and makes comparisons explicit and systematic in order to determine how governments work, how power is organized and contested at the national level, and how regular people can participate and pursue their interests in different political settings. Includes key concepts, theories, methods, issues, and language.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Not open to students with credit for POLI SCI 182 Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Social Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Learn about some basic theoretical and methodological problems in the study of politics (concepts, theories, issues). Audience: Undergraduate 2. Learn about the “real” world and how to explain it. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Identify interesting questions about politics in different countries. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Identify differences and similarities, and what both tell us about what we are studying. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Understand and compare different forms of democratic and non-democratic rule. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Become familiar with the language of political science. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Apply the concepts of political science to analyze (and evaluate) political events in a variety of settings. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Learn about some basic theoretical and methodological problems in the study of politics (concepts, theories, issues). Audience: Undergraduate 2. Learn about the “real” world and how to explain it. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Identify interesting questions about politics in different countries. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Identify differences and similarities, and what both tell us about what we are studying. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Understand and compare different forms of democratic and non-democratic rule. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Become familiar with the language of political science. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Apply the concepts of political science to analyze (and evaluate) political events in a variety of settings. Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027